Family wants justice for guard who died after being hit by ANSA truck
The family of Watcliffe Charles, the watchman who died after he was struck in an accident last October, says it is being kept in the dark about why the driver responsible has not yet been charged.
Watcliffe, called “Cliffe,” who was a father of four, of Lot 9 Better Hope North, East Coast Demerara, was struck by an ANSA McAL truck while crossing the Plaisance Public Road on October 22 last year. He was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died the following day.
Herman Charles, the brother of the dead man, yesterday expressed his dissatisfaction at the way in which the matter is being dealt with. “Since the day of the accident, we ain’t get no justice. The driver get release and he back on the road but a life was lost,” he said.
Herman related that he and other relatives have visited the police station on several occasions to find out about the investigation. “Every time somebody go or call, they keep telling we to come back, that they waiting on DPP,” he explained, before adding that they are of the opinion that they are being “pushed around.” “The driver out and he got back his job is not all; the truck that hit down my brother also on the road… that ain’t supposed to happen… It’s seven months already and we need some kind of justice for my brother. It can’t go down so,” he said.
Herman said that even if the police investigation is still ongoing, he does not understand why the family has not been given any official word about the status of the investigation to date.
The driver of the truck was taken into custody after the accident and later released on station bail.
Charles had just exited Victoria Road, Plaisance, and was attempting to cross the Plaisance Public Road, when he was struck off his bicycle by the truck. As a result of the impact, he was pitched several feet away, landing on the road in front of the Sparendaam Police Station.
The relatives of the dead man had said that based on what they were told, the accident was recorded by surveillance cameras mounted at a Chinese restaurant in the vicinity. They added that eyewitnesses related to them that the driver of the truck was speeding at the time of the accident.